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Henry Cust

@henrycust.bsky.social
108 followers 264 following 16 posts

Research Scientist in all things global health economics at Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University sites.google.com/view/henry-cust

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Henry Cust @henrycust.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Why it matters: this is the first quantitative evidence from organisations that lost US funding, and most serve key populations who often have no other provider. Four is a small sample, but it points to continuity plans, emergency transition funding and domestic financing. 5/6
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Henry Cust @henrycust.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Prevention, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and testing fell furthest. Services largely remained below 2024 levels through to March 2026. Treatment also fell despite the humanitarian waiver. 4/6
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Henry Cust @henrycust.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
I analysed routine service data from four non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Uganda and Zimbabwe. Services fell by between 22% and 72% after the US stop-work orders, depending on the service. 3/6
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Henry Cust @henrycust.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
In January 2025, the US government froze foreign aid and halted work under the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the largest external funder of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) services globally. 2/6
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Henry Cust @henrycust.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Two pieces of news. I have started as a Fellow in the Department of Health Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), and today my paper on the 2025 US funding cuts is published in The Lancet Global Health. 1/6
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Henry Cust @henrycust.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
I'm not convinced the French are taking this 100% seriously
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Henry Cust @henrycust.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
This work depended on collaborators in Uganda & Zimbabwe who shared their data at risk to their organisations. They remain unnamed co-authors to protect their future funding. They deserve credit they can't publicly receive.
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Henry Cust @henrycust.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
These are the first quantitative estimates from organisations that had US funding terminated and are not modelled projections. Declines were immediate and show no signs of recovery eight months on.
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Henry Cust @henrycust.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
You can download the working paper here: duke.box.com/v/USAIDHIVCUST SSRN preprint: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
duke.box.com
Manuscript_II.pdf | Powered by Box
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Henry Cust @henrycust.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
Everyone knew the 2025 US aid freeze would devastate HIV services in sub-Saharan Africa. Now the evidence is emerging New working paper, real service data from 4 NGOs in Uganda & Zimbabwe: prevention ↓60%, testing ↓50%, treatment ↓30%. #HIV #PEPFAR #USAID
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Reposted by Henry Cust
Center for Global Development @cgdev.org · 03/09/2025
Project Resource Optimization—an independent initiative hosted at CGD—is mobilizing private funding for life-saving needs. The team reflects on lessons learned & challenges ahead in the first post of a new series: bit.ly/45XF0Cb
bit.ly
The High Cost of Pausing Life-Saving Aid
When the US froze foreign assistance in early 2025, it halted scores of USAID-supported programs that were saving lives. Project Resource Optimization (PRO) has helped mobilize nearly $46 million to r...
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Henry Cust @henrycust.bsky.social · 08/08/2025
Who says research takes too long
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Henry Cust @henrycust.bsky.social · 20/02/2025
I thought Johnson's words were most interesting, he clearly supports Ukraine sovereignty whilst not being outraged by trumps words. I interpret the 'shock' as Europe taking responsibility for its borders and it's share of NATO etc.
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Henry Cust @henrycust.bsky.social · 12/02/2025
Man buys things, man uses thing more... What's the controversy?
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Henry Cust @henrycust.bsky.social · 26/01/2025
Can you skip forest this week please?
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Henry Cust @henrycust.bsky.social · 17/12/2024
🎉
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Henry Cust @henrycust.bsky.social · 14/11/2024
So cool! My prior is drought and other shocks would lead to increased religiosity (building more monuments) to both appease gods they considered responsible, but also to reduce unrest from unemployment. Excited to dig in and find out why I'm wrong!
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